It’s back!
Twenty years later Tatra Press has kindly allowed me to bring back Grounds For Golf now that golf architecture is of more interest to the masses. A new Introduction looks at what’s driven the interest growth and two new chapters I had a blast adding (plus a few edits to keep things up-to-date).
The Amazon purchase page for the book arriving June 15, 2026.
Really, I know you don't care because we know the PGA Championship doesn't exclude anyone good, but I'll just do pretty much anything to not have to pay attention to the worst PGA Tour tournament of the year, the no-cut, money grab at dreary Firestone.
So here's the 2013 PGA Championship field.
The preview clip--with an unfortunate ad fronting the ad--for the latest episode of In Play With Jimmy Roberts focuses on pro golfers going to Israel and another talking about their "signature" wines, but the segment of real interest appears to be on water usage. Stone Phillips gets the call to handle one of the most pressing issues in the game.
In Play airs Tuesday, July 30 at 10:30 ET, 7:30 PT. The preview:
• Golf Course Water Usage and Conservation Concerns – One of the bigger concerns in the golf course industry today is water usage. Whether driven by higher costs, the lower availability of municipal water, or environmental conservation, golf course superintendents and architects around the country are stepping up their efforts to manage water. Former NBC journalist Stone Phillips examines the ways golf course architects are building courses with water usage and conservation heading into the future.
Interesting that the men get the private club treatment while the women go to resorts, but otherwise an impressive start to the new four-ball championships that replace the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships in 2015.
USGA ANNOUNCES HOST SITES FOR INAUGURAL
U.S. AMATEUR FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Olympic Club and Bandon Dunes Golf Resort to Host in 2015; Winged Foot Golf Club and Streamsong Resort Selected as 2016 Venues
San Francisco, Calif. (July 29, 2013) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball and U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship sites for the 2015 and 2016 competitive calendars. In 2015, The Olympic Club, in San Francisco, and Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Bandon, Ore., will host the men’s and women’s competitions, respectively. Winged Foot Golf Club, in Mamaroneck, N.Y., will serve as the 2016 host site for the men, while Streamsong Resort, southeast of Tampa, Fla., will host the women in 2016.
The introduction of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball and U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championships to the USGA’s competition roster was announced earlier this year. The new championships, which will be held annually between mid-March and late May, are the first to be added to the USGA championship schedule since 1995, when the USGA Men’s and Women’s State Team Championships were created to mark the Association’s centennial.
The announcement of the first two host sites for each championship was made during an event at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.
“We’re thrilled to bring the first two years of Amateur Four-Ball Championships to historic clubs that have hosted a number of USGA championships, as well as to celebrated newer venues,” said Thomas J. O’Toole Jr., USGA vice president and chairman of Championship Committee. “As part of our ongoing commitment to support and advance amateur competition, the four-ball format, which is widely popular at the state and regional levels and at golf clubs around the U.S., is sure to produce a spirited team dynamic and provide enjoyment for both the players and spectators at some of the finest courses in the game.”
When the LPGA designated the Evian Masters (now The Evian Championship) their fifth major starting in 2013, little could the tour have known that a player would go and win the first three majors of 2013, setting up a debate about what a Grand Slam actually constitutes.
LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan, who is to blame for this first world semantic mess, made his view clear last week on Morning Drive.
"I'll call her a 'Grand Slam' winner if she wins four," Whan explained during an interview on "Morning Drive" Thursday. "I think we've created the 'Super Slam' for five."
Oy. We, being the marketing team I'm guessing?
My vote: this is a Grand Slam. It's four majors in a row.
But let's get the silliness out of the way to focus on a historic week of golf at the Old Course: will Inbee Park be winning a "Grand Slam" this week if she is victorious at St. Andrews in the Ricoh Women's British Open?
If you had any question that golf thrives in different ways, just check out Bill Fields' gallery of sand greens golf from his recent trip to Nebraska.
Granted, there was a three-hour delay but still, it's amazing they couldn't finish a golf tournament in England in July. Wait, I'm not bashing Southport. Really!
From Alasdair Reid's story (accompanied by arguably the least flattering photo of all time) on the Mark Wiebe-Bernhard Langer playoff that will continue live on ESPN2 at 3 am ET:
Wiebe shot a 4-under 66 to match Langer at 9-under 271. Langer had a 70. They each parred the par-4 18th twice in the playoff.
"Playing in the dark was a new one for me," Wiebe said. "Hopefully we'll figure it out tomorrow."
Langer, the 2010 winner at Carnoustie, blew a two-stroke lead with a double bogey on the final hole of regulation after hitting into a greenside bunker. Minutes earlier, Wiebe's birdie putt at No. 18 came up short.
"I gave it away," Langer said. "I could bogey the last hole and win. I thought I hit a decent shot in the bunker but it came out too low.
Aladair Reid says Karrie Webb was "far clearer than any of the mealy-mouthed utterances the male players produced at Muirfield last week" when talking about the male-only membership issue:
“If you are going to hold a public event, take money from the public and from public companies, it is pretty hard to say that only a certain kind of person is allowed to be a member here. I would have no problem with Muirfield saying: ‘We are a great links course and a private men’s club’, and just never holding the Open Championship there.”
It was only a matter of time, but at least Gary Player didn't invoke a Yoko reference in suggesting that young Caroline Wozniacki isn't helping Rory McIlroy's golf game.
Speaking to My Sporting Life (you can listen to a 1:30 excerpt too):
“When you’re in love as a young man naturally golf seems to take second place for a while. It’s natural. Love is still the greatest thing that ever happens in our lives.
“But the thing is for a man like Rory with talent galore he’s got to make sure he has a woman like I’ve got, who has been married [to me] for 56 years, that has only encouraged me to do well and made sacrifices.
“He’s got to be intelligent and find the right wife. If he finds the right wife, if he practices and if he’s dedicated, he could be the man.”
Adam Schupak 
with the amazing WD by Canadian Open 36-hole leader Hunter Mahan.
Alistair Reid's first report on Steve Elkington's Twitter rant about Southport, host city of this week's Senior Open Championship, and this follow-up on the police escort he received Saturday at Royal Birkdale.
The European Senior Tour is investigating and Reid speculates that legal action could be taken. By who and on what grounds, is not explained.
The offending Tweets and resulting dialogue with followers have been removed.
Elkington has apologized for the Tweets.
**Alistair Reid tried to ask Elkington about his week following a final round 69.
Steve Elkington, who had caused a storm of the metaphorical sort with a Twitter tirade against the town of Southport and some dubious and potentially racist comments, was rather less effusive as he took his leave of the place. Asked for a comment after his round of 69, Elkington offered a terse "you kidding me?" before heading for the car park.
The Forecaddie this week says Tim Finchem also deserves credit for the demise of the PGA of America's silly "Glory's Last Shot" slogan. However, Finchem's reasoning had to do with the FedExCup glory looming after the PGA, not the sheer silliness.
Everyone on three...one, two, three: OY VEY!
Anyway while I was vacationing I see the PGA Of America confirmed they are getting rid of Glory's Last Shot and ushering in a fan contest to select a Sunday 15th hole location at Oak Hill.
Yes, it will be from one of four Kerry Haigh-determined hole locations but this still seems like something the other majors would never think of doing (even though Jack Nicklaus' endorsement helps soften the blow). Maybe I'd feel more excited if there were going to be fifteen PSA's and 435 commercial breaks during the perenially unwatchable PGA Championship telecast.
The Reuters story, and the PGA of America press release.
For Immediate Release:
A collaborative learning experience between The PGA of America and record-tying, five-time PGA Champion Jack Nicklaus, the "PGA Championship Pick the Hole Location Challenge" is designed to educate fans on how course setup impacts a golfer's strategy in playing a hole; attract more people to the game; and help explain what hole location information players are provided each day.
As a result, Haigh has identified and selected each of these four distinct Championship hole locations for fans to vote. On August 11, during Sunday's final round coverage on TNT and CBS, fans will be able to see the winning hole position that will be used on the 15th green.
CPA K. Sean Packard, CPA "specializes in tax planning and the preparation of tax returns for pro athletes" and has broken down Phil Mickelson's winnings in Scotland from the last two weeks: His conclusion, well, Phil netted very little in actual on course earnings after the Queen gets her take to pay for George's diapers and California pays four teachers.
Seriously, this is an important topic as it relates to getting top players to play the Scottish Open, BMW at Wentworth or an English Open if it could ever be made to happen. Players simply avoid playing in the UK more than they need to because of the stifling tax rates on top of what they pay here at home. First world problems, indeed, but nonetheless important for everyone (myself included) to remember when we lament why more players don't play Royal Aberdeen next year, or why the PGA Tour does not play a WGC event in the UK or why we don't see more tournaments on the great links of the U.K.
For his two weeks of play, the world’s best golfer (rankings be damned) earned £1,445,000, or about $2,167,500.
The United Kingdom, which has authority to set Scotland’s tax rate until 2016, graduates to a 40% tax rate when income hits £32,010 then 45% when it reaches £150,000. Mickelson will pay £636,069 ($954,000, or 44.02%) on his Scottish earnings.
But that’s not all. The UK will tax a portion of his endorsement income for the two weeks he was in Scotland. It will also tax any bonuses he receives for winning these tournaments as well as a portion of the ranking bonuses he will receive at the end of the year, all at 45%. It is a significant amount for Mickelson, with only Roger Federer and Tiger Woods earning more among athletes from endorsements and appearances.
Packard goes on to lay out the tax bill in the U.S. (foreign tax credit!) and California
Without considering expenses, Mickelson will pay 61.12% taxes on his winnings, bringing his net take-home winnings to about $842,700. When expenses are considered (10% to caddy Jim “Bones” Mackay, airfare, hotel, meals, agent fees on endorsement income/bonuses—all tax deductible here and in the UK), his take-home will fall closer to 30%.
Of course Phil will benefit in the endorsement world and, oh yeah, he's the Champion Golfer of the Year having won The Open at Muirfield, over a star-studded leaderboard with a round that will talked about for ages. No tax bill can take away that.
GolfChannel.com has a nice roundup of quotes from Phil Mickelson making the media rounds, including his admission that he was so tired and beaten down from the U.S. Open loss that he didn't get out of bed much until a family trip and a dinosaur egg got him going again.
There's some great stuff too about the Open, changes in his diet and an epic Bones' story begging a college professor to help him graduate and what the win meant to him from his Dan Patrick interview, which you can listen to here:
Earlier this week Jim Mackay was on the Patrick show and also shared some super insights into The Open:
Finally, Phil hit the Today Show to talk about his Mickelson ExxonMobil teachers academy and to play table tennis.
**Thanks to Average Golfer for spotting Phil's appearance on NPR, too.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
